LAX Airport Layover Sightseeing

This article includes links to our travel partners at Tripadvisor, where you can read traveller reviews, book tours and plan your visit to Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Airport Layover Sightseeing — Photo Credit: senai aksoy / Shutterstock

Long layovers through Los Angeles International (LAX) are increasingly common for those travelling between North America and Asia/Australasia. While the city center is challenging to access relative to other major American airport-city combos, if you’re faced with a layover of over six hours at LAX, you may want to attempt it since the airport isn’t designed for transit passengers. During this period, you can either head to the beach or into the heart of Hollywood to soak in the glamour and uniqueness of this West Coast city. The guide below details what to do and how to do it.

Airport Overview

The massive LAX is another institution in American air travel. The nine separate terminals can be a mission to navigate – as can transfers into the city center. As such, those faced with an LAX layover of less than six hours might be better suited to staying in the terminals. Restaurants make for great spaces to people watch, while rotating photography and art exhibits better give you a taste of the city itself. Check out our Los Angeles Airport Guide for more information on the airport.

Los Angeles Sightseeing Attractions

Below are a few of the top things to do in Los Angeles:

Santa Monica Beach

Los Angeles Santa Monica Pier — Photo Credit: Jo Ann Snover / Shutterstock

Santa Monica Beach is the most accessible major beach from the airport in Los Angeles. Here, you can happily spend a few hours outdoors while gazing out onto the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding mountains. Restaurants, a small amusement park, an outdoor shopping mall and countless street performers provide entertainment as you wander the pier and the shoreline. It is also extremely convenient that the LAX FlyAway service directly connects here and the airport. Should you be faced with less time, Marina del Rey is a beach located even closer to the airport – it just happens to be a little less ‘classically Californian.’

Time Required: We recommend a minimum of an hour for a stroll along the beach. Should you wish to have a sit-down meal or do more extensive shopping, more time is required. This does not include travel time to and from the airport.
How to Get There: Check out this Google Map for details on public and private transit options and the required time. Remember to factor rush hour traffic and security wait times into your travel time estimates.
Plan Your Visit: Visit Tripadvisor for more information about visiting the Santa Monica Pier, book a tour or read traveller reviews.

Hollywood

It would be hard to visit LA without making it to Hollywood Boulevard and its countless iconic landmarks. Again, the connection time between the airport is a bit more convoluted; once you make it, you will be steps away from the Hollywood sign, the Kodak and Dolby theatres, and, of course, the Walk of Fame. With some extra time, you may want to pop into a few famed restaurants and museums, including Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe it Or Not Odditorium, or the Musso and Frank Grill.

Time Required: To cover most of the major sights that line Hollywood Boulevard, we recommend a minimum of two hours – plus transit time. Remember to factor rush hour traffic and security wait times into your travel time estimates. This estimate does not include transport to and from the airport.
How to Get There: Check out this Google Map for details on public and private transit options and the required time.
Plan Your Visit: Visit Tripadvisor for more information about visiting Hollywood, book a tour or read traveller reviews.

Howard Hughes Promenade

If you have barely enough time to leave the airport, the Howard Hughes Promenade might be the best place to visit. This shopping center is the closest outdoor mall to LAX (15 – 30 minutes), offering excellent shopping opportunities. The Nordstrom Rack outlet store is one of the most visited shops, given its incredible deals on name brands. The mall also has a movie theatre and several restaurants. Of course, if you are a serious shopper, you may want to head further into the city to explore the celebrity-filled Robertson Boulevard or the famous Rodeo Drive.

Time Required: Shopping at Howard Hughes Promenade requires a minimum of an hour – plus transit time. Add additional time if you plan to sit down at a restaurant or dive into the shops and discounts!
How to Get There: Check out this Google Map for details on public and private transit options and the required time.
Plan Your Visit: Visit Tripadvisor for more information about visiting the Promenade at Howard Hughes Center, book a tour or read traveller reviews.

Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour

Los Angeles Hop-On Hop-off Bus — Photo Credit: Mike Flippo / Shutterstock

Would you be interested in seeing all the highlights of LA rather than just picking a single one? The Hop On – Hop Off option may be your best bet. Starlines runs four routes throughout LA, covering major sights in Hollywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Century City. Some of the most famous stops include Rodeo Drive, The Farmer’s Market & The Grove, China Town, the La Brea Tar Pits and the Chateau Marmont Hotel. The beauty of these tours is that they enable you to jump off and explore various sights at your own pace while providing seamless connections between all the major destinations. There are a few easier ways to check off that city bucket list on a layover.

Time Required: Each route lasts approximately two hours, assuming you do not get off. Be sure to factor in additional time for exploring the various sights and perhaps some shopping and eating. Tickets can be purchased for 24, 48 or 72-hour windows.
How to Get There: Unfortunately, public transit does not easily connect the airport to the points of the tour, so your best bet is to take a taxi to one of the stops somewhere in the city on your particular tour.
Plan Your Visit: Visit Tripadvisor for more information about Los Angeles bus tours, book a tour or read traveller reviews.

Airport Transportation

LAX is connected to Los Angeles through several private and public transit options.

Public transit options include:

Bus (Metro Bus Center): The free “C” shuttle connects passengers to the airport bus terminal from the LAX Shuttle and Airline signs at each Arrivals Hall. From the Bus Center, you can board buses from several companies that service the broader Los Angeles region. For schedules and rates: LA Metro Transit Information
Light Rail (Aviation Station): To reach the city’s light rail line, passengers must board the free “G” shuttle service at the LAX Shuttle and Airline sign in the arrivals hall. From there, you can take the Green Line into the suburbs and connect to the lines that run into downtown LA.

Private transit options include:

LAX FlyAway (Arrivals Halls Island, ‘FlyAway’ Sign): Regularly scheduled round-trip bus routes between LAX and critical locations in the city (Expo, Union Station, Van Nuys, Westwood, Santa Monica and Hollywood).
Taxi (Arrivals Halls): Connects LAX to the city center – but be wary of traffic!
Shared Ride Van: Shared taxis are run by Prime Time and Super Shuttle and allow you to share a ride with those travelling to the same destination for a reduced price.
Car Rental: Several rental companies have stations in the Arrivals Hall of LAX terminals. Shuttles are then organized out to the off-airport rental car terminal.

Before You Go: Layover Tips

Now that you are motivated and excited about your mini layover vacation, check a few final logistical concerns off your list before you fully commit.

Do you need to organize a visa to leave the airport? Requirements change frequently and for each nationality, so be sure to seek out current details on the availability, cost and procedures of obtaining a transit visa.
When is your next flight’s check-in time? Double-check with your airline exactly when you need to be at the airport – and plan your layover accordingly.
What are security wait times like at the airport? Some airports are notorious for extended security wait times, so research in advance and factor that into your overall time budget.
What’s happening with your luggage? When you check in to your first flight, confirm whether your luggage is checked through or needs to be picked up between your connecting flights. Visit our Los Angeles Airport Guide for information about Luggage Storage.

Other Useful Resources

Finally, here are a few handy resources to help you plan your layover even more thoroughly:

LAX Ground Transportation Information
LAX Transport Pick-Up Map
Tripadvisor – Visit Things to Do in Los Angeles to plan a tour or the Los Angeles Travel Forum to check out past threads to see what other travellers have shared about sightseeing during long layovers at LAX Airport and post your questions.